‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’
Recurrent and persistent bouts of hiccups impact the quality of life by interfering with eating, social interaction and work. Popular home remedies, such as breath holding and drinking ice water, target activity in the vagal and phrenic nerves that are thought to trigger these repetitive, myoclonic...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2022-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Gastroenterology |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000918.full |
| _version_ | 1797783716232167424 |
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| author | Mark R Fox Ali Seifi |
| author_facet | Mark R Fox Ali Seifi |
| author_sort | Mark R Fox |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recurrent and persistent bouts of hiccups impact the quality of life by interfering with eating, social interaction and work. Popular home remedies, such as breath holding and drinking ice water, target activity in the vagal and phrenic nerves that are thought to trigger these repetitive, myoclonic contractions. However, the pathophysiology of hiccups and the mechanism by which any of these methods work are unclear. Indeed, so little is known that there is no agreement whether the ‘Hic’ sound is due to the abrupt closure of the epiglottis or the glottis, including the vocal cords.Investigations were performed in a 50-year-old, otherwise healthy male with recurrent hiccups, in whom contractions persisted for up to 4 hours. Hiccups were initiated by drinking carbonated soda. The aerodigestive tract was visualised by video fluoroscopy. Hiccups were terminated by drinking a non-viscous contrast agent through a forced inspiratory suction and swallow tool. This device requires significant suction pressure (−100 mm Hg) to draw fluid into the mouth and is effective in approximately 90% of cases. The images were analysed together with concurrent audio recordings to gain insight into ‘what causes the ’hic’ in hiccups’ and how this commonplace but annoying problem can be treated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:29:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3196ce3a67b641f1b63458e9accbbf9a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-4774 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:29:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Gastroenterology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3196ce3a67b641f1b63458e9accbbf9a2023-07-10T16:30:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Gastroenterology2054-47742022-07-019110.1136/bmjgast-2022-000918‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’Mark R Fox0Ali Seifi1Digestive Function: Basel, Laboratory and Clinic for Motility Disorders and Functional Digestive Diseases, Klinik Arlesheim AG, Arlesheim, BS, SwitzerlandDepartment of Neurosurgery, Division of Neuro Critical Care, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USARecurrent and persistent bouts of hiccups impact the quality of life by interfering with eating, social interaction and work. Popular home remedies, such as breath holding and drinking ice water, target activity in the vagal and phrenic nerves that are thought to trigger these repetitive, myoclonic contractions. However, the pathophysiology of hiccups and the mechanism by which any of these methods work are unclear. Indeed, so little is known that there is no agreement whether the ‘Hic’ sound is due to the abrupt closure of the epiglottis or the glottis, including the vocal cords.Investigations were performed in a 50-year-old, otherwise healthy male with recurrent hiccups, in whom contractions persisted for up to 4 hours. Hiccups were initiated by drinking carbonated soda. The aerodigestive tract was visualised by video fluoroscopy. Hiccups were terminated by drinking a non-viscous contrast agent through a forced inspiratory suction and swallow tool. This device requires significant suction pressure (−100 mm Hg) to draw fluid into the mouth and is effective in approximately 90% of cases. The images were analysed together with concurrent audio recordings to gain insight into ‘what causes the ’hic’ in hiccups’ and how this commonplace but annoying problem can be treated.https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000918.full |
| spellingShingle | Mark R Fox Ali Seifi ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ BMJ Open Gastroenterology |
| title | ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ |
| title_full | ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ |
| title_fullStr | ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ |
| title_short | ‘What puts the ‘Hic’ into Hiccups?’ |
| title_sort | what puts the hic into hiccups |
| url | https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000918.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT markrfox whatputsthehicintohiccups AT aliseifi whatputsthehicintohiccups |